Huge number of devotees to Hasanamba festival: Hassan SP writes to DC, warns of stampedes if failed to restrict visitors

Hassan SP Mohammed Sujeetha has written a letter to Deputy Commissioner KS Lathakumari for measures to reduce the number of people visiting Hasanamba Temple in Hassan, warning that the increasing number of devotees could lead to stampede.

In his letter dated October 17, the SP said that a large number of people visited the temple for darshana of the deity. Even the queues for those who bought tickets worth ₹ 1,000 and ₹ 300 were kilometers long.

“The number of devotees visiting the temple may increase in the coming days due to Eid holidays. Hasan is a small city and the area around the temple is crowded. If people continue to visit in the same number, the situation may go out of control, leading to stampedes and untoward incidents. The number of KSRTC buses bringing devotees from other areas should be restricted to maintain law and order.” letter.

He also added that in the absence of any measures to restrict the number of visiting devotees, the police department will not be responsible if the situation leads to stampede.

The temple was opened to devotees on October 10. Since then, thousands of people visit the temple every day. KSRTC has introduced private buses to meet the demand. Devotees have been waiting for several hours to catch a glimpse of the deity.

More than 3.7 lakh people visited the temple in the 24 hours before Saturday morning, October 18, 2025. Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda, who is also the Minister in-charge of Hassan district, is busy tackling the crowd along with senior officers. The temple will be closed on October 23.